Winter Solstice Recipe

The Winter Solstice is the day when the Sun is lowest on the horizon at its peak, marking the midpoint of Winter. The Winter Solstice usually drops on the 21st or 22nd of December here in the Northern Hemisphere. To mark this annual occasion, we’re going to break out a drink recipe we first covered in 2011, the Winter Solstice. Fitting right in with the rest of the holiday drinks, this cocktail features tones of citrus and pomegranate.

Winter Solstice

2 oz citrus vodka

½ oz fresh lemon juice

¼ oz pomegranate juice

1 oz simple syrup

Orange wedge

Prep Time: 2 minutesTotal Time: 2 minutes

Add citrus vodka, lemon juice, pomegranate juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a short or highball glass with ice. Garnish with an orange wedge. Drink up and repeat!

The Winter Solstice cocktail is a crisp, citrus flavored cocktail that is perfect for winter holidays. The pomegranate juice adds some color and a little flavor. Throw in the orange wedge, and you’ve got an extremely balanced citrus and pomegranate libation.

Traditional Winter Solstice Celebrations

The Winter Solstice marks the longest night of the year, and the word solstice means “sun stands still”. Different cultures have been celebrating this event since ancient times, for example, the Chinese Dongzhi festival is the second most important holiday behind Chinese New Year. In ancient European cultures, where winter famine was always a very real possibility, the solstice marked the lengthening of days, and rebirth of the Sun. During the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia, most regular business was suspended, revelry and debauchery was rampant, slaves and masters had a temporary role reversal, and there was much feasting, drinking, and cavorting. Up until 1582, when the Gregorian calendar replaced the Julian calendar, Christmas actually fell on December 21st. Christmas then rescheduled to December 25th, the same day that the Persian god, Mithra, was born.

About the author

Jöhn is one of the members of the modern day FNDC . In addition to coding and providing content for the site, he also enjoys playing the guitar and watching trippy movies. His favorite mixed drinks are whiskey sours and Jägerbombs. His favorite beers are Blackhawk Stout, Old Rasputin, and Sierra Nevada.